Answers About Tobacco

NE. Falling Short in Fight Against Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, 9,540 people in Nebraska will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 3,480 people in Nebraska will die of cancer in 2015.

ACS CAN’s annual report, How Do You Measure Up? A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality, shows Nebraska is falling short in the fight against cancer.

The report rates states using a color coded system on various issues regarding tobacco control, cancer prevention and access to care. The report found Nebraska falls short in all but one of the nine issues.

Some highlights of the report include:

  • The Centers for Disease Control recommends $20.8 million in funding for tobacco prevention and control measures in Nebraska. Currently, Nebraska funds this program at $2.4 million, just over 12 percent of the CDC recommendation.
  • Nebraska’s restrictions on indoor tanning device use to those 16 and under does not meet the top suggestions included in the U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer. The report recommends youth restrictions on tanning device use to those 18 and under.

For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

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